General Motors has decided that a manufacturing defect which relates to vehicle safety exists in certain 2016 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles and they will be asking approximately 30,000 owners to return to their dealerships for repairs. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, wiper motor covers manufactured using a broken tool, may allow internal terminals to move and potentially contact each other, creating an electrical short. In some cases, the windshield wiper motor cover may melt, smoke, or catch fire. Continue reading

General Motors and the Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement last week over the handling of GM’s ignition switch problems which led to the high profile recall of certain Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G-6 and Saturn ion lines in 2014. The agreement ends the government investigation into how GM handled faulty ignition switches being blamed for approximately 250 injuries and 124 deaths. In addition to a $900 million fine, GM has been assigned an independent monitor to review its safety policies.

Officially, the automaker was charged with hiding the defect from regulators and defrauding consumers. There will be no individual charges in the case, and the agreement must still be finalized by the courts.

General Motors have announced a problem affecting the automatic occupant sensing (AOS) system in certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles equipped with front vented-heated passenger seats. According to reports, the AOS calibration process may not effectively account for humidity and build material variation and could fail to suppress the front passenger air bag if a child seat is in the front passenger seat. If the airbag deploys with a child seat in the front passenger seat it could increase the risk of injury to the child. The front-passenger airbag status light will indicate that the airbag is “on” when the passenger seat is not occupied or is occupied by an infant. Additionally, the front-passenger seat’s safety-belt warning light and chime may turn on when the passenger seat is not occupied and the seatbelt is not buckled. Continue reading

GM has decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt sedans and they will be asking approximately sixty thousand owners to return to their dealership for repairs. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the side-impact sensor wire harness in the driver-side front door may have been improperly routed. The window regulator could contact the harness when the window is fully lowered and, over time, chafe the harness insulation. The problem could result in a short in the side-impact sensor circuit that will prevent the driver-side roof-rail airbag from deploying during a crash. Drivers will be alerted with an airbag warning light. Continue reading

A small number of Chevrolet 2014-2015 Cruze and 2015 Volt vehicle owners will be receiving notices to return to their dealerships to replace the steering gear assembly. According to the defect report, the inner tie rod attachment to the steering gear may not have been tightened to specifications and could separate from the steering gear without warning. If this happens, drivers could experience a complete loss of steering. Continue reading

General Motors have announced that certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles may fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 114 S5.1.3, “Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention” and to FMVSS 208 S7.3, “Occupant Crash Protection.”

The radio software in these vehicles may cause the radio to lock up. The radio display will go blank and stops playing all audio functions, including vehicle chimes related to warnings for key left in ignition and driver safety belt not in use. In addition to the vehicle chime malfunction, the radio may not turn off, causing battery drain and a potential no start condition. Continue reading

General Motors have decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles and will be asking approximately 437,045 owners to return to their dealerships for repairs. According to the defect report, the flexible steel cable attaching the seat belt to the vehicle could wear and separate over time. Occupants will not be properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury during a crash. Signs that the problem exists include tears, holes, or wear marks on the covering of the cable. Continue reading